The Mysteries of Life
by funkysoda
Summary: Was he...falling for her? [KyouxHaru]
1. The Lamp Post of Destiny

The Mysteries of Life

Chapter 1: The Lamp Post of Destiny

Haruhi is now 25. Her intellect, which no longer fails to surprise anyone, had accelerated her academic level and had let her graduate earlier than her peers.

Peers meaning _not_ the Ouran High School Host Club (they graduated at the same time).

Ouran High School Host Club meaning those rich bastards who had pursued their college education elsewhere.

Elsewhere meaning highly prestigious schools in highly prestigious places in highly prestigious countries (if there is such a thing).

Only Haruhi was left in Japan. Tamaki was in Paris, the twins Hikaru and Kaoru went to some Argentinean continent, Hunny and Mori traveled the world together, and Kyouya…who knew? It seems he knows everything about everybody but nobody knew squat about him. Oh wait, _seems_ is an understatement; it's actually a fact.

Usual contacts were kept, though in Kyouya's terms, it means _no contact at all, just don't be surprised if you suddenly see me lurking in the shadows._ Boy, did she miss those days. She could say the host club was the best days of her life, but she dare not say it out loud. Anything she says can and may be used against her…who knows what Kyouya—ever lurking in the shadows—might do. She still was amazed at his action of clearing her debt all of a sudden. But she knew deep deep down inside that if he needed any pecuniary resources, he could easily convince her that she owed him money. Lots. Though he never ever _would_ need money, but if he was bored and needed entertainment…she shuddered.

She caught herself thinking again. It had been so long since they went out together as a group—all seven of them. Sometimes she went out for dinner with Tamaki and his wife during their rather frequent visits. _Oh, I've heard so MUCH about you that I think I've been with you all my life! _She would say. The twins dropped by once a week from wherever they were from and always brought clothes with them. Which they would force her to wear and then pose for a picture—she dreaded those days. Hunny and Mori sent her plane tickets now and then along with a letter that says 'This ticket costs money, please come so that it will not be a waste!'

Were they smart or what.

Now, Kyouya is another thing. Another subject, another species, another paragraph. He never bothers to keep in touch, which is definitely his nature; yet wouldn't it be nice if he did? After all the years they had been together as the host club?

Inwardly she shrugged. If he wanted it that way, than who was she to interfere?

The air was getting stuffy. She had immersed herself in work the whole day and felt the need to have a break. Before she stepped out, she took one last look at her home, still the same apartment unit, everything in order… contented, she locked the door and began her relaxing walk.

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'Sir, there seems to be a commotion on the side street up ahead.'

That was why he hated taking these little roads, _saves time_ says the driver, but if they were to meet these 'commotions' every time, then the 'time saved' was useless.

He sighed as an indication of his displeasure and was about to say 'Don't mind it' but made the mistake of glancing at the said 'commotion.' From what he could gather from the insufficient flickering light post nearby, a group of hoodlums were cornering a young man, but at a more intense gaze and at the moment the light post seemed to will itself to light the world with its life, he realized that he actually knew who the young man was.

This was going to cost him time. Damn the light post.

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The relaxing walk wasn't turning out as she had hoped.

Upon returning home she had come across the 'territory' of the people currently accosting her now. They weren't particularly bright, and Haruhi wasn't that much of a street-talker, so both parties couldn't understand each other at all. The only plan that came to Haruhi's mind was to confuse them with legal jargon, but it didn't do much.

'You, little fella, lookin for a fight?' said a stocky muscular man. He had dragon tattoos going down both of his arms, his hair was styled for a kebab party, his teeth were shiny and were blinding even if the lamp post nearby was only weakly flickering.

'Not really. I was just about to leave.' She realized she was surrounded, they weren't going to let her go that easily. She had 'stepped' on their territory and she was going to 'pay.'

'We're not lettin' you go that easily. Y'stepped on our territ'ry, and you go'nt PAY!!' another man threatened. She can't even start to describe what _he_ looked like.

'Is there any way I could compensate for this? I could treat you for dinner, or a…movie. You like movies?'

This garnered lots of responses:

'Compe- what?!'

'Sounds good, boss. I'm a little hung-'

'Shut up, Twinkie!'

'I do wanna watch that Ghost Rider flick.'

'Yeah, that gangster man.'

'Turns into a skull!' shouted the last two speakers, they high-fived afterwards.

Haruhi was trying to edge her way out when one of the gang members noticed her.

'Where you think you goin?'

'We don't want to miss that movie! Better get going, the next show's starting in a few minutes.' The two who high-fived smiled idiotically at her, but the rest weren't as happy.

'Gang rules, man. We'll beat you up first, then we catch that flick them people were talkin' bout. Won't take more than a few minutes.'

The situation she was starting to think of was amusing suddenly became frighteningly dangerous.

'Excuse me.' A deep voice announced. Everybody's head turned (rather comically, Kyouya observed) to face a shadowy figure silhouetted by the flickering lamp post.

'Who'r you?' said kebab-man.

'Please save yourselves a lot of inconvenience and let the girl go.'

'Incon-what?!'

'Girl? Where?'

'Hey, boss, he's actually a girl,' said a gang member who suddenly grabbed Haruhi. 'We can hardly see it but yep, here it is.'

She was getting indignant about where the man's hands were going. Without second thought, she kicked her captor where she knew it would hurt the most.

'Hey he's actually a guy! I could hardly see it but whaddayaknow, there it was.' It was the most offensive thing she had ever consciously said (or done) in her life.

Taking advantage of everyone's surprise (and concern for the groin-kick victim) she made a run for it, taking mystery man's hands (he seemed too stunned to move) as well. Who knew what the gang could do to the guy?

Finally after a long distance of running and when she was sure nobody followed them, she stopped and faced the man.

He wasn't anybody she knew. He looked suspicious, too, wearing shades in the evening like that.

'Sorry, miss. I'm afraid have to leave you here, my boss is waiting in the car parked near where we were running from, and he's a rather impatient man. I'm glad nothing serious happened, ehm, you were quite intent at your running and your grip was rather strong that you didn't hear my shouting and I couldn't break free,' he laughed. 'It made my day though.' He looked around, and thought for a while. (Haruhi was still digesting what he said.)

'Actually, son-ER, miss, I could drive you home, I'm sure my boss won't mind. After all, it was he who sent me to save you; he seemed to know who you were.'

She accepted his offer and apologized the whole way back.

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Thank you for reading. Please review!


	2. If Men are from Mars

Chapter 2: If Men are from Mars, Women must be from Planet X

'Here we are, miss.' The kind chauffeur/bodyguard (she assumed) opened the door of a sleek black limo. He mentioned that his boss knew who she was. And she wondered, for a moment, who it could be.

The moment the cold yet pleasantly perfumed air hit her face, (for some odd reason, she imagined dark petals whirling insanely her way) she bowed apologetically.

'I apologize for the trouble.'

'Oh, no trouble at all,' said an eerily grinning voice, 'Haruhi.'

She looked up. She stared. She couldn't move.

'….K-k-kyouya-senpai!'

He looked at her piercingly.

'Although I am pleased that you remember my name,' he replied forebodingly, 'I suggest you get in and stop wasting any more of my time.'

She had always been an obedient child.

After an expected silence, Haruhi felt the need for conversation.

'It's been quite a while,' she ventured.

'Yes, it has.' He glanced at her shaken form. 'You seem quite frightened.'

She looked at him, then, and remembered that a favor from an Ootori can result in grave consequences.

'My men would have cleared the area by now. Your succeeding walks will prove to be quite uneventful after today.'

She nodded amiably. The gangs didn't worry her at all.

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In the end, Kyouya had taken Haruhi home to her apartment (in spite of his _very_ important business meeting). But had, throughout their sparse conversation, effectively implied unfathomable gallantry on his part and shame on hers. As she stepped out, she meekly mumbled a thank you to both the imposing man with matching smirk and to the kind man (whom she came to know as Tachibana) who was looking pityingly at her.

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Kyouya's fingers absently tapped on the adjacent car seat, now empty.

Well, that certainly was a…pleasant surprise.

He almost didn't mind that he was late. Almost.

The satisfaction of reducing the acclaimed civil lawyer into a puddle of stutters and nods was simply too much to resist.

_I find strength in other's weaknesses._

He silently scolds his ego.

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Left. Right. Shoulders shift. Blanket down. Toss, and turn. Toss, and turn.

She couldn't sleep. It was as if his words entered her ear, went through her brain, pierced her subconscious, flashed before her eyes, exited out the other ear, and tap-danced painfully on her head before going back in again.

…_billion dollar deal._

…_but for old time's sake…_

…_hope my reputation isn't too tarnished after tonight…_

Which is why, on the first leg of her lunch break, Haruhi is now standing in front of Ootori Kyouya's grand corporate building, with bento box in hand and bloodshot veins in eyes.

She had always found herself to be confident of her actions. But, what (she asks the heavens) on earth reduced her to this woman who thinks (and who is currently debating with herself whether it does or not) that a homemade lunch will appease one of the most powerful men in the country? _Was this what they call 'pride before destruction?'_ (She was thinking that she was abusing her status as a high school friend, registering it as the pride part of the philosophy.)

Well, it was all she could come up with to make up for the (ulp) billion-dollar deal. True, a lunch may…not be much compared to that…amount, but really, she didn't have much. Even though she had been told that she was a brilliant lawyer, she preferred helping out those who were really in need, the type that usually pay her in kind.

She doubts that Kyouya would appreciate half a sack of sweet potatoes.

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The receptionist was a kind woman. Seems like she had recognized Haruhi from the media and was 'awed by her endeavors' ('_Oh! Weren't you in the news the other day? Fuji…Fujiyoka Haruhi! I am so honored! Awed by your endeavors, I truly am.'_). The woman, Ms. Hiragazawa (_'Please do remember me!')_ led Haruhi to a small lounge, where she was brought coffee (exotically brewed) and told to wait.

Haruhi hesitated.

'Ms. Hiragazawa, if you don't mind, I'll just leave a note, a-along with this bento box, and…'

_WHO WAS THIS WOMAN SPEAKING?!_

'Oh, I apologize, but I've just been told that Ootori-san is already waiting for you in his office.'

She then eyed the polka-dot bento box. It took one look at the eager face of the receptionist for Haruhi to feel like she was back at the Host Club with all the strange (and fake) moe things that the girl population kept falling for.

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She found him behind a thick slab of desk, looking intently at a laptop screen.

She took a breath. What was there to be nervous about, really?

Maybe it was because he could easily blame her if the billion-dollar deal went bad, or maybe sue her for an injury Tachibana had endured, or…something. Something sinister.

'Good afternoon, Kyouya-senpai.' She kept the bento box well out of sight.

'Ah, Haruhi. To what do I owe this honor?' He asked, putting away the laptop.

'I wish to thank you for last night's rescue, and I really apologize for any trouble.' Cue polite bow.

He noted the tired way she moved. Her shoulders were drooping more than…they were yesterday. Maybe he pushed it too far. After all, weaknesses are weaknesses. Those are the things that are actually capable of destroying a person, eventually.

'Don't mind it, Haruhi. The deal went fine, and your house was on the way, too.' (Well, it sort of was, if you wanted to take the long way. Which he didn't.)

She hated being a burden.

'I hope you haven't eaten yet, senpai.' In response to his querying look, she set the bento box on his desk. 'I made lunch for you…as an apology. I thought you'd like it better than half a sack of potatoes.'

'Pot…tatoes?' He pushed his glasses up.

'Never mind,' she shook her head understandingly. 'Anyway, it was a pleasure meeting you again, senpai.'

She gave him a sincere smile before she bowed and left.

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Ms. Hiragazawa was practically waiting for her outside Ootori Kyouya's office. She insisted on walking Haruhi out to get a cab.

'So, how'd it go?' She blurted out excitedly.

'How'd…what…' _Was she talking about the apology? _'It went…well. He accepted it.'

Actually, it was 'love confession' neon-flashing in Ms Hiragazawa's head. She knows it isn't exactly high-school anymore, but it can happen!

She opened the taxi door for Haruhi, unable to hide her giddy smile.

'As they say, the way to a man's heart is through the stomach!'

Unable to comprehend the logic behind the statement, Haruhi smiled weakly (after all, she had just been through a relatively critical point in her life) and climbed in.

TURDAHH! I tried! And I think it wasn't a failure! But anyway, I deliberately muted Kyouya here, more of his POVS, emotions, inner turmoil, etc etc in the next chapter. I aim to capture their personalities by exploring more on that. I talk as if I have all the time in the world! I don't! So…yeah! Review! Please.

And I will promise to protect my computer time from Mommah.


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